The EU Commission meets this week to decide whether to relicense the use of glyphosphate weedkillers for another 15 years. Green MEPs - who have proved we probably now all have the chemical in our systems - say the only safe outcome is a decision not to re-approve the license.more...

BASF are to halve their GM research and development and reduce the time spent on developing these technologies, writes Peter Melchett. Given the many problems that GM agriculture is facing, and that new non-GE technologies offer such valuable benefits as increased crop yields, does BASF's announcement spell the beginning of the end of GM crops?more...

The Gates Foundation has received a 57,000 strong petition denouncing its support for a 'biopirated' GM banana program in Africa, and calling on it to suspend a feeding trial on US students, writes Vanessa Amaral-Rogers. The banana threatens both the health of the students, say campaigners, and the future of African agriculture.more...

The global use of glyphosate has rocketed over the last decade thanks to the introduction of 'Roundup ready' GM crops, writes Vanessa Amaral-Rogers. But since IARC classified the chemical a 'probable carcinogen', and with the spread of resistant superweeds, the tide may finally be turning.more...

As delegates prepare for the Bonn climate talks, India is being struck by extreme heat with a long-delayed monsoon season and a death toll of thousands, writes Liz Hanna. If this is an indicator of the warming world to come, it's giving us all the reasons we could possibly want to act decisively before it's too late.more...

You can help save our bees with 'citizen science', writes Paul de Zylva - recording those you spot in your local area to help build up a long term picture of their changing numbers. Today we publish an identification guide to the 'top ten' bees, so you can get started right away. But be quick - the Great British Bee Count 2015 ends on Sunday.more...

In the first of a three part analysis of the ongoing UK badger cull Lesley Docksey examines current and historical data and concludes that the government are simply ignoring the science of epidemiology..........more...

Peter Baker argues that finding solutions to the challenges facing modern agriculture will not be found in market-based mechanisms or further intensification of land, but by harnessing the diversity of human ingenuity.....more...

Grow It Yourself is a popular community organisation with a vision of bringing people together in a sustainable and healthier way through organic food growing. Now it has plans to launch further afield in the UKmore...

From artisan bakers to green energy schemes, co-operative businesses, owned and run by members, are enjoying a renaissance. Here the co-operative trade association offers a practical guide to creating your ownmore...

In China, pear trees have had to be pollinated by hand after bees were wiped out by industrial farming. Now FOE have launched a petition to get the UK government to help halt the decline in Britain's own bee populationmore...

The greatest challenge facing agricultural scientists is how to work with farmers producing more ecological and healthier food - not GM, argues Patrick Mulvany, chair of the UK Food Group and advisor to Practical Actionmore...

Phosphorus is a crucial nutrient and a vital component of fertiliser, a mainstay of modern farming. But we could be heading for a major shortfall in supplies, argues Hannah Hislop, with some alarming consequencesmore...

As reform of the EU's agriculture policy gets underway, Miles King of the Grassland Trust tells Matilda Lee how intensive farming has all but destroyed England's 'rainforests' and why it's time we started asking for more from our farmersmore...